.jpg) Touching the Sky
This is Heaven! The views of the Annapurnas from the Poon Hill Track are ample reward for a wet two-day trek from Nayapul (see: The Ghorepani Trek) and a hour-long, pre-dawn, up-hill hike from Ghorepani. Pictures don’t do it justice!
There is nothing like being in the Himalaya with magnificent jagged snow-capped peaks rising all around. The rarified spring air, thinned by the altitude (3210 m), and the effort involved in the steep, 1.4 km hike up the hill from Ghorepani in the dark, only add to the feeling of awe as you come out of the wooded trail and watch the sun climb over the jagged peaks.
I had been itching to get back to this paradise since my first visit in 2001 (see: Heaven and Hard Work). For a number of reasons (the murder of the Nepali Royal Family, the Maoist Uprising, and the Gorkha Earthquake, to name a few …), it was many years before I could return.
This trip (2017), coordinated by photographer Gavin Gough with the local guidance of Angfula Sherpa, was almost two years after the earthquake, and the destruction wrought by that event was still much in evidence.
But, equally visible was the progress that had been made – especially around the trekking trails: hot water, light, and wifi were available everywhere. The guest-houses were still simple, but clean and dry. “Clean Food” signs abounded, and a local co-operative meant that all the hotels served the same basic menu at the same fixed price.
When I first trekked these paths, we slept huddled in sleeping bags, in plyboard shelters so thin that the wind blew out our candles. There was no electricity and no plumbing: the outhouse toilets were unspeakable. Food safety was patchy, and our guides restricted what and where we ate, and splashed our hands and dishes before every meal with some sort of liquid that made my fingers crack and bleed. We were practically force-fed tea and soup (coffee was nowhere to be found) to stave off altitude sickness. Of course, there was no wifi, and the only phone line on our seven day trek was at the post office in Ghorepani, where I paid a small fortune for a booked call home on a crackly line.
The easier conditions have led to an increase in trekkers, and the trails – especially at popular places like Poon Hill – are busy.
But, the mountains endure. And are worth every step.
.jpg) Silhouetted Fir at First Light
If you want to catch a sunrise, you have to start walking in the dark! .jpg) Daybreak in the Annapurnas
Although Google Maps says it is only a 40 minute walk up to Poon Hill, both my husband I were struggling and probably took longer than that. There was the very real chance that we would miss the sunrise!  The Annapurnas
The sky is getting lighter quickly, bringing clarity to the mountains all around. Watch House at the Top
Soon the top of the hill is in sight, but it still looks like a steep climb; … Daybreak in the Himalaya
… which it is – but worth it! Sunlight hits the top of Dhaulagiri (8167m) as we summit. Here Comes the Sun!
The sun rises quickly over Annapurna IV (7525 m) and II (7937m) in the east. Crowd on Poon Hill
There is a crowd at the top of the hill – but it is not noisy: there is a shared sense of joy at the sunrise, and awe at the view over the magnificent Dhaulagiri and Annapurna mountain ranges. Tired but Victorious
Some occasions are so special they warrant a portrait. Walking Down
After a while, we start making our way back down the hill. Leaving the Watch House Behind
The morning sun casts long shadows as we walk down the slate steps. Cairns and Prayers
The track is lined with cairns and memorial markers. Prayer Flags and Snow
The name Himalaya comes from the Sanskrit words hima (snow) and ālaya (dwelling, abode). In the dark on the way up the hill, I didn’t notice the spring snow on the ground. Prayer Flags
Prayers flutter in the breeze over the watch house Cairns in the Snow Annapurna South and Hiunchuli Dhaulagiri
The Dhaulagiri Range is further away than the Annapurnas, and across Kali Gandaki River and Gorge, but the peaks feels close enough to touch. The Dhaulagiri Mountains
Further down the hill, some of the rhododendron is still in bloom. Hotel Dhaulagiri
From our hotel, we have a view over the streets – where manual labour continues and the corrugated metal roofs I remember now feature modern solar panels. The Annapurnas
The power lines are another new addition. Change is inevitable – and there have been further major changes since we made this trek.
 But, the mountains are timeless and continue.
Namaste 🙏
Photos: 21March2017
Posted in Landscapes,Nepal,TravelTags: Annapurnas,blog,landscape,nature,Nepal,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,walk
A Man and a Wheel
At a marble-tile workshop in Rajasthan, India, an older worker happily poses for photographs. One of the things I love about travelling with a photo group is that you can end up in some strange places that you might otherwise miss. In addition, you spend more time in one spot than you would with a ‘normal’ tour group, giving you a chance to think about seeing things differently and to play around with settings and composition.
I was on the road with photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours; we had just spent several days around Pushkar for the annual Pushkar Camel Fair (see: Weekly Wanders Pushkar) and were on our way to Jaipur by road when we stopped in the factory district of Kishangarh.
I – like many others, I am sure – had never heard of this little city in Rajasthan. During the days of the British Raj, Kishangarh was the capital of its own princely state. Today it is known (apparently!) as a center for marble trade.
Rajasthan has India’s richest deposits of marble, producing high-grade stone in a variety of unique colors. Kishangarh has a number of small factories turning out quality industrial-standard refined natural marble, as well as some granite.
Watching how the large sheets of stone were cut into massive slabs or small tiles was fascinating. What I particularly loved – and tried to focus on – was the textures of the old surfaces, the ceaseless movement of the machines, and the constant flow of water. What I couldn’t capture was the noise and heat!
Join me for a workshop visit – just a bit off the usual tourist trail …
Fruit at the Desert Camp
Morning started hot and early at our desert camp near Pushkar. Workshop Entry
It’s about an hour’s drive to these unassuming looking premises in the small city of Kishangarh. I love the textures in the colour-washed walls – even when they are in the shadows. Heat in the Yard
The sun is almost directly overhead; it bounces off the stacked marble sheets and the white dust in the yard. Moving Marble
The sheets of marble look heavy and cumbersome. As hard as marble is, I’m not sure it would survive a drop! Naturally, there is a noticeable absence of protective clothing. A Block of Marble and Wet Machinery
It’s hot, dark, and noisy in the workshop. Granite and marble are hard stones – the blades used to to cut them need a constant flow of water to keep them from overheating. Moving Parts
Texture is everywhere – I love these rusty surfaces. To capture the machine’s movement, I slowed the shutter speed right down – always risky when you don’t have a tripod handy! (ISO 400 16 mm f / 5.6 1/30 sec) Straight Lines
Looking at the ends of a stack of cut slabs, you can see how cleanly the marble block has been sliced into sheets. Geometric Patterns
Open culverts under metal grates carry the milky runoff water from the cutting machines. Splashing Water
Light from the doorways bounces off the wet marble and the spraying water. In addition to keeping the blades cooler, the flow of water reduces friction, dust, and noise. (ISO 200 23 mm f / 9 1/30 sec) Man with a Mallet
That colourful wheel is spinning rather fast: this doesn’t feel like the safest of workplaces! (ISO 400 70 mm f / 3.2 1/60 sec) Man and a Spinning Wheel
With a wider angle lens, I capture the whole wheel and the machine driving it. (ISO 400 16 mm f / 5.6 1/30 sec) Moving Water
The constant flow of waters over the massive blocks of marble has a life of its own; … (ISO 200 17 mm f / 5.6 1/60 sec) Moving Water
… to try and show this better, I created my first gif. What do you think? Through the Water
Two other photo-tour participants watch the process from the other side of the waterfall. Workers inside the Workshop Patterns in the Pieces
Back outside, piles of broken tiles or cut ends are scattered everywhere. Cutting Marble
In a cubby-hole outside, men are cutting sheets of marble into smaller tiles. Again, water is an integral part of the process. Marble Worker
Workers are always ready to take time out for a smile. Men in the Workyard
There is no feel of urgency anywhere in the yard. 
It was a fascinating stop.
Who knew that the making of marble floor- and wall-tiles and countertops was so interesting!
Photos: 14November2013
Posted in environmental portraits,India,TravelTags: environmental portrait,environmental portraits,India,people,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,work
A Lonely Pine
A single pine dominates the graveyard in front of the Lone Pine Memorial – which stands on the site of the fiercest fighting of the eight-month long WWI Gallipoli campaign. The memorial commemorates the more than 4,900 Australian and New Zealand servicemen who died on the Gallipoli Peninsula during the engagement. “There never was a good war, or a bad peace.”
– Benjamin Franklin (July 27, 1983)
Last Tuesday was ANZAC Day: a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that commemorates those “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and their contribution and suffering. The date, however, was specifically chosen to immortalise the landing of ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) forces at Gallipoli, Turkey (Gelibolu, Türkiye) on April 25th, 1915.
This was a tragic campaign in the already-bloody First World War.
By the end of 1914 stalemate had taken hold on Western and Eastern Fronts. Allied thinking was that if they controlled the Dardanelles, also known as the Strait of Gallipoli, they could capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), and force Turkey out of the war.
Unfortunately, they seem to have forgotten a British Committee of Imperial Defense study in 1906, ruling that the fortifications and potential threat of mines in this very narrow strait made attacking by ship a dangerous mission. They also underestimated their enemy who were defending their own home soil. The naval attacks failed: one French battleship was hit by shore battery fire and had to withdraw; another was capsized, with the loss of almost all on board; civilian-manned minesweepers retreated under Ottoman fire; three British Royal Navy ships were damaged – with two sinking; two further French battleships were damaged and forced to retreat; and two Allied submarines were lost to mines and strong currents.
Plans to overpower the Turkish defences on land, opening the way for Allied ships, began.
The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force of around 70,000 men was formed comprising the 29th Division (British Infantry), the ANZACs, the Royal Naval Division, British Territorial Army units, a small contingent of Indian Army soldiers, some Newfoundlanders, and a French division – all led by General Sir Ian Hamilton. Postponed to 25 April due to bad weather, the landings were to be made at five beaches on Gallipoli Peninsula.
The maps were inadequate and virtually nothing went to plan.
For example: the ANZACs were landed about a mile further north than intended, into what can only be described as a defender’s paradise. Instead of the wide flats at Gaba Tepe, they were faced with the steep cliffs of what is now known as ANZAC Cove. The fierce Ottoman counterattacks were organized by Mustafa Kemal – later known as Atatürk, the founding father and first president of the Republic of Turkey.
Conditions were dreadful: there was a lack of water and nowhere to dispose of waste or bury the dead. In some places, trenches were barely four metres apart: trenches where soldiers were tormented by thirst, debilitated by dysentery, and plagued by flies and lice. Although the Allied troops made some advances, it finally became clear to those higher up that this was too costly an operation – especially after Serbia and Bulgaria joined Germany, allowing a direct railway connection into Turkey itself, meaning the Ottomans could easily be resupplied.
After a November visit by Lord Kitchener, the decision was finally made to evacuate. Ironically, that is the only part of the disastrous campaign that seems to have gone smoothly. By 20 December 1915, the ANZACs were evacuated, and other Allied forces soon followed.
Today you can walk around these fateful hills where so many young men lost their lives. There are 31 Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries on the Gallipoli Peninsula, one French cemetery at Seddülbahir, and numerous Ottoman/Turkish memorials. Both the Australians and the Turks see this as an important place: Turkish Gallipoli Martyrs are as important to the Turkish national identity as the stories of Australian and New Zealander courage, sacrifice, and nationhood are to the ANZAC legend.
Scenes from a Bus : The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge
The Gallipoli Peninsula is about a three hour drive east of Istanbul. On the European continent, it is separated from the Asian part of Türkiye to the south by the Dardanelles, a narrow strait (between 1.2 and 6 kilometres (0.75 to 3.73 mi) wide). This area was known for its rich history long before its strategic importance in World War I.
This bridge, at the eastern end of the peninsula near the Sea of Marmara, is about 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) long. (iPhone12Pro) Scenes from a Bus : Bunker on the Beach
This spot on the Aegean Sea looks idyllic, until you see the bunkers: a stark reminder of past wars. (iPhone12Pro) The Sphinx Overlooking Anzac Cove
What a catastrophic place for a landing! Once you manage to climb over the rocky beach, this ridge shadows you. ANZAC Cove
The Australian, New Zealand, and Turkish governments have joined forces to conduct the Gallipoli field survey, to develop important sites, and to manage special commemorations and increasing visitor numbers. Beach at ANZAC Cove
I always think of ‘beach’ as sand: this is far from it. The cove is 600 metres long, bounded by the headlands of Arıburnu to the north and Little Arıburnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south. On April 25th 1915, 16,000 Australians and New Zealanders – most of whom had never seen combat – landed here. By that evening, 2,000 of them had been killed or wounded. Rocks in ANZAC Cove Reading the Information
Established in 1973 by the Turkish government, and included in the United Nations list of of National Parks and Protected Areas, the Gallipoli Peninsula Historical Site covers over 33,000 hectares. A rundown of the events at ANZAC Cove are laid out here in English and Turkish. The Memorial at ANZAC Cove
“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives … You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours … You, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”
Dated 1934 and attributed to Atatürk, there is no evidence he wrote – or even spoke – these words. Still, they reflect a mutual respect, for which there are many corroborated examples. Among The Fallen – 740 Private Peter A Smith Musulman Soldier of the British Army, 860 Driver Husain Khan Azmak Cemetery
Named for the watercourse nearby, this cemetery has 1074 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated; 684 of the burials are still unidentified. Respect to Mehmetçik Monument
‘Mehmetçik’ (or Mehmet) is a colloquial term for Turkish Army soldiers. There is a story of a Turk raising a white flag in order to deliver a wounded Australian officer back to his own lines – this sculpture by artist Tankut Öktem depicts that story. The Lone Pine Memorial
This memorial stands at the east end of the cemetery, on what was a strategically important plateau overlooking the whole May 1915 front line. So Many Fallen …
The memorial commemorates more than 4,900 Australian and New Zealand servicemen who died in the ANZAC area and whose graves are not known, as well as others who died at sea and were buried in the waters off Gallipoli. Lone Pine Cemetery
The battlefield was named for a solitary Aleppo pine that stood there at the start of the fighting. The land had been forested, but the other trees were cut by Turkish troops for their trenches. Stone Pine – Pinus pinea
The original tree did not survive the fighting, but it was such an evocative symbol that at least two Australian soldiers took cones from it back home. Today, you will see descendents of that pine in many Australian war cemeteries. This one, on the other hand, is a different species. Pines in the Trenches
Planted pines dot some of the remaining trenches. (iPhone12Pro) Curved Memorial New Zealand Memorial at Chunuk Bair Mustafa Kemal Pasha (Atatürk) Tribute to Turkish Soldiers Respect History Monument and Park
A short distance away in the town of Eceabat, a large park features several depictions of the battlegrounds. Respect History Monument
A large bronze statue in the park includes the Respect to Mehmetçik motif. Çanakkale in Afternoon Light
As if to lighten the heavy weight of history, the sun broke through the clouds over the the city of Çanakkale as we crossed the Dardanelles by ferry from Eciabat. It was a costly campaign: numbers vary widely, but the losses were enormous on all sides. One estimate is that more than 130,000 died: at least 87,000 Ottoman soldiers, and 44,000 Allied forces, including more than 8700 Australians and 2779 New Zealanders.
It was meant to be the war to end all wars.
Which, of course, it wasn’t (see: For the ANZACs; War and Pieces).
Photos: 17October2022
Posted in Memorial,Military,TurkeyTags: ANZAC,landscape,memorial,Military,Photo Blog,remembrance,sculpture,Travel Blog,Turkey,Türkiye,war
I woke up with my fingers crossed.
All night long the rain had thundered on my roof. I live a short distance from Pambula, and I could only hope that the Ephemeral Festival there that day, on the Panboola Wetlands, would go ahead. It wouldn’t be the first time the whole site had been flooded out!
But, the Autumn day dawned crisp and clear – albeit with gale-force winds blowing off the coast. When I arrived at the venue, it was already busy with volunteers and stall-holders setting up.
Ephemeral is a festival that draws artistic inspiration from the rich and layered natural surroundings. Local artists – visual artists, musicians, crafts-people, story-tellers, and dance performers – come out and showcase their skills and/or conduct workshops using the wetlands as their muse. The last time I attended, I enjoyed it thoroughly (see: A Celebration of Impermanence).
Panboola itself is a wonderful 82 hectare reserve on a floodplain adjoining the northern section of Beowa National Park (formerly Ben Boyd National Park). It is bordered by the Pambula River, and encompasses an old racecourse – which is now a delightful walking/cycling circuit; thickets of mangroves and saltmarsh; farmlands which are sustainably managed and help provide income for reserve maintenance costs; and billabongs where waterbirds like black swans and moorhens wander and nest and raise their young.
The property around the old racecourse was/is Crown Land. Much of the rest was bought by local environmentalist Alexandra Sedden (more about her later) as a waterbird sanctuary and gifted to the community in a Conservation Trust. Over the years, parcels of land have been added by other local benefactors. The whole property is now managed by the Pambula Wetlands and Heritage Project Inc. and maintained by an army volunteers who meet weekly to plant, or weed, or mow – or whatever else needs doing.
It is always a lovely place to be – but is extra special during celebrations. Do come along!
Entry to Tips Billabong
The gazebos are up and the chairs are out: the festival grounds are ready to welcome participants. Garment Glow-Up Bar
Botanical artist Ge Warburton and visual artist Hilary Peterson joined forces to facilitate a fabric-stamping booth. For a small fee, participants could colour their own fabrics, or buy a piece of clothing or a blank tea-towel to stamp with ready-cut patterns. Both women have run immensely popular workshops at Panboola in the past, so I was keen to see how this one would fare. (Spoiler alert: It was busy all day!) Puppet Theatre
Small knitted finger puppets in the shape of Australian native animals were on hand for some free creative play. Dried Flowers
It is a testament to our local creatives – and to the festival organisers – that both sessions of the Floral Wreath Workshop sold out! Two local flower-growers, Trish Castillo of Wyndham Flower Farm and Karyn Mumberson from BourndaGrow, supplied the materials and the advice for participants. Selecting Flowers
The participants selected their dried flowers with care … Making Wreaths
… before attaching them to the supplied wreath forms. Floral Wreath
The second workshop, in the afternoon, was just as popular. Warming up the Story Tree
Meanwhile, the Story Tree is ready. Cake and Coffee
The local Rotary Club and Country Women’s Association are on hand with food. Drink Stand
My priority is always coffee! Little Hands
The Garment Glow-Up Bar is busy; … Ge Warburton
… Ge hangs up the newly patterned works to dry in the wind … Hilary Peterson
… and Hilary cleans the stamps between customers. Showing off the T-Shirt
Later in the day, I found a young person (and their parent ) who was happy to show off their finished product. Egg Hunt
Colourfully-costumed children’s performers, Latvian Independence Day, lead families on an ‘egg hunt’. Panboola volunteers hid pre-painted stones around the grounds at intervals – these could be exchanged for chocolate eggs. Applying Henna
For a gold donation to the Wetlands, you could get a henna tattoo; … Henna Design
… like the theme of the festival, the designs are beautiful – and impermanent. Beautiful Baskets
These crafts-people possess a wealth of skill and knowledge about local materials and ancient techniques … Basket Weaving
… and happily share that with anyone interested. Hands at Work
Here, a young couple is being shown how to build a firm base for a basket. Potoroo Palace Information Table
Potoroo Palace is a local not-for-profit public animal sanctuary, dedicated to art, education, and helping injured and/or orphaned native wildlife. Alexandra Seddon
Alexandra, the founder and patron of Potoroo is also one of the principal benefactors of the Panboola Wetlands. Her story, as told on the ABC’s Conversations radio program, is a truly remarkable one. Chair in the Air The Moorhen and Fling Theatre
The youth and children of Fling Physical Theatre put on two expressive dance performances – centred around a giant, wafty moorhen. Frida the Moorhen
Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus) are the signature logo of the Panboola Wetlands; this one has been named Frida after the Mexican painter. Children of Fling
In floating capes resembling butterfly wings … Fling Theatre
… the children swooped and wove around the performance space. Kate Liston-Mills
A local mum, journalist, and author settles in under the Story Tree … Room on the Broom
… for a dramatic reading of a children’s favourite picture book. Catching Dreams New Moon Spoons
Local woodcarver Paul Boyer is on hand to teach skills, sell products, or just chat. Paul Boyer The Bird Comes to Life
Art therapist Bella Insch of Pambula’s Brush with Clay Studio ran a workshop on hand-building clay. I popped in regularly to watch the objects take shape. Quiet Moments – Stacking Blocks Panboola Stand
These are the linchpins: Wetlands Project Coordinator Michelle Richmond chats with volunteers selling products and dispensing information at the Panboola Stand. Fallen Orb
Nothing lasts forever! In the afternoon, the winds picked up, causing damage to several of the marquis and knocking this beautiful flowered orb off its pedestal. Mural on the Old Bar
As the day drew to a close, I went in search of a resident barn owl who had been spotted in the trees here. The only owl I found was on the mural attached to the Old Bar: this was painted by local children under the guidance of artist Terri Tuckwell at the last major celebration: Panboola’s Anniversary (see: Happy Anniversary, Panboola Wetlands).
It was a very full day – which is why I had trouble limiting the photos I wanted to share!
But, as long as it was, it was a day full of creativity, goodwill, and smiles.
I’m already looking forward to the next festival.
Until then, I’ll go back to pulling invasive weeds …
Pictures: 08April2023
Posted in art,Australia,Dance,NatureTags: arts and crafts,Australia,children,environmental portrait,landscape,nature,Panboola,performance,performers,Photo Blog,Ursula Wall,wetlands
In the West Coast Temperate Rainforest
It is a magically beautiful walk from the Bear Cove Highway, near Port Hardy at the north east end of Canada’s Vancouver Island, to Storey’s Beach, Fort Rupert. I think the forests of British Columbia (BC), Canada must be my Spirit Home.
It was my first time to the north end of Vancouver Island, at the very west of Canada, but I felt right at home!
I was on a BC road trip, and was booked to take the long ferry trip north from Port Hardy, at the northern tip of the island, through the Canadian portion of the Inside Passage, to Prince Rupert on the mainland (watch this space!). After spending a few days in Sayward (see: Wet, Green, and Beautiful) towards the middle of Vancouver Island, I allowed myself an extra day in that little coastal town where the ferry terminal is.
With a local map in hand, and after a conversation with a resident, I decided to walk the Fort Rupert Trail.
The trail – which is also known as the Commuter Trail because it links Port Hardy and Fort Rupert – is listed by All Trails as being an easy 3.9 kilometres (2.4 miles) each way. I added a walk along Storey’s Beach to what was once the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post of Fort Rupert, and is now a predominantly Kwakiutl First Nation unincorporated community called Tsax̱is. By the time I returned to my car, I had clocked up 13 km (8 mi), was wet from the intermittent rain, and was tired but happy.
It is a beautiful walk from the highway, near Port Hardy, into lush West Coast temperate rainforest, past a lake, whose name I never found, and onto the tidal beach on Beaver Harbour. Wandering through the Kwakwaka’wakw (spellings vary) totem poles and other artworks in the community of Tsax̱is, and drinking a hot coffee from the Fort Rupert General Store before walking back, were added bonuses!
Join me for another walk in the woods:
Fort Rupert Trail
The western end of the trailhead is clearly marked and easy to find along the Bear Cove Highway. Misty Forest
The woods are a rich green mix of conifers – Douglas firs, Sitka spruce, and cedars – and deciduous trees. This is temperate rainforest, and mists or rains are never far away. Little Bird
High in a tree – a western red cedar, I think – a little bird attracts my attention with its song. Bunchberry Dogwood – Cornus Canadensis
These ground-hugging perennial plants are named for the flowering trees they resemble. Salmonberry – Rubus Spectabilis
The shoots and berries of these brambles are a traditional food source for the local First Nations people. Into the Firs
The trail continues across a bushy hilltop and into another section of forest. Bunchberry Dogwood in the Boardwalk
The trail features a variety of terrains, including gravel paths, wooden walkways, and dirt and bark tracks. Unnamed Lake
A boardwalk section skirts a pretty lake … Yellow Pond-Lily – Nuphar Lutea
… which is dotted with patches of lilies in bloom. Western Bog Laurel – Kalmia Microphylla Around the Lake Path in the Tall Trees
The boardwalk finishes at the end of the lake, and the path changes to a soft dirt track into the tall trees. Winding Track
On some of the boardwalk sections, the trail is laid with a rough material to prevent people slipping on the wet wood. Red Alder – Alnus Rubra Amphibian in the Leaf Litter
In the leaf litter on the forest floor, small creatures are almost impossible to spot. I think this is a boreal or western toad (Anaxyrus boreas). Boreal Toad – Anaxyrus Boreas
Further along the track, I found another little toad that was much easier to see. Onto the Beach
The path finishes on Beaver Road, which runs into Fort Rupert. Like other walkers, I crossed it to access the harbour instead. Beaver Harbour Park (Storey’s Beach)
The beach here was named for the first non-Indigenous residents, logger George (Paddy) Storey and his wife Sannie. Paddy got a logging permit for the area in 1941. Waves in the Sand
It was low tide when I arrived; it’s about a twenty minute walk across the beach to the municipality of Fort Rupert – known to the local people as Tsax̱is. Nature’s Artwork : A Shell with Seaweed Rocks on Beaver Harbour
The snow-capped mountains of the BC mainland can be seen across the waters of the harbour and Johnstone Strait. Kwagu’ł First Nation Longhouse in Tsax̱is
Fort Rupert was established as a Hudson’s Bay Company fort in the mid-1800s. Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations People moved into the new community soon after to take advantage of the trading post. Cemetery
The community has a small, grassy cemetery, … Burial Poles
… which is home to some unique carved and painted burial poles, the likes of which I had never seen. Thunderbird
Thunderbirds, on the other hand, are represented across many Native American nations. This enormous bird is a powerful spirit – possessing the capability to protect humans from evil spirits. Wooden Totem
You see the thunderbird everywhere; this one on a weathered totem pole sits atop an orca, or killer whale. These, too, are frequently represented in West Coast Indigenous art; they represent the strength of love and the bonds of family. Fortified by my tradingpost sandwich and coffee, I followed the road back to the trailhead, and retraced the track back to my car.
What always amazes me is how different the same track looks from the other direction!
Even in the misty rain, it was a lovely walk, and I can’t wait to go back.
Until then,
Happy Walking!
Photos: 04June2022
Posted in Canada,Nature,TravelTags: animals,Canada,flowers,landscape,National Park,nature,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,Vancouver Island,walk
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Does that seem like a lifetime ago to you too? Thank you for sharing your wonderful photographs and for the happy memories.
Thanks for your visit, Mr Gough! Yes, more than one lifetime, indeed … I’d go back – but I’d be even slower. 😆